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Sparky is a Graduate of The Michael Ellis School for Dog Trainers Longterm Immersion Program Sparky is a Certified Canine Good Citizen Test Evaluator
Sound Canine • Board & Train
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About
Are you searching for an award winning dog trainer to train your dog in San Diego, CA? Look no further! Sound Canine’s internationally awardes dog trainers are here for you! We are dedicated to helping dogs and their owners deepen their connection by creating strong and meaningful relationships. Whether it’s basic obedience commands, specialized tasks, or behavior modification, we customize our Board and Train programs to meet your specific needs and goals.
Sparky has a gift. His entire life has been dedicated to the study of the connection between human and canine. Now, a World Champion, from a very VERY young age, it was evident dogs were Sparky’s passion in life.
His immersion into dog training began with working dogs when he discovered a Police K9 trainer in his small hometown of Port Townsend, WA. Where Sparky was instructed to the sport of Schutzhund (IGP). Where, at the age of 11, competed with his German Shepherd, becoming the youngest person to compete in the sport. By the age of 13, Sparky had received his Schutzhund Level 1 and Tracking Level 3 titles, receiving multiple ‘High Tracking’ awards.
Sparky later graduated from the prestigious Michael Ellis School for Dog Trainer’s Longterm Immersion Program. Studying under the most influential dog trainer in the world.
Sparky is now a dedicated competitor in Mondioring, the most challenging dog sport in the world, having won the 2024 FCI World Championship in Greece with his dog Archie. Sparky and Archie also tied for the highest Mondioring Level 2 score in US history with 298/300 points, and has become 5x Mondioring Level 3 in the last year, one of those being a completion in Italy at FCI Mondioring World Championship for the 2nd year in a row.
Experiencing the possibilities when you and your dog are truly in sync with each other, inspired Sparky’s passion in the exploration of the canine/human connection. This expands far beyond working dogs and their handlers, dog owners and their beloved companions have potential to find the same level of deep connection and understanding of one another. Through his experience with working dogs, this is Sparky’s speciality. The level of connection needed with a dog to perform at such levels is extremely high, and something Sparky wishes to share and guide dog owners in finding with their best friends.
Overview
Hired 1 time
Background checked
3 employees
9 years in business
Business hours
This pro hasn't listed their business hours.
Payment methods
This pro accepts payments via Cash, PayPal, and Venmo.
Social media
Top Pro status
Top Pros are among the highest-rated, most popular professionals on Thumbtack.
2025
Services offered
Dog training package
Puppy training
Aggressive behavior modification
General obedience training
Therapy or service dog training
Dog size
Extra Small (1 - 15 lbs)
Small (16 - 25 lbs)
Medium (26 - 40 lbs)
Large (41 - 70 lbs)
Dog training type
Private lessons
Board and train
Projects and media
Projects and media
Reviews
Customers rated this pro highly for professionalism, work quality, and responsiveness.
Exceptional 5.0
28 reviews
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Read reviews that mention:
amanda P.
Dec 26, 2025
From Google
Weve tried many dog trainers for our German Shepard, since he came to our family at 8 weeks old.Hes a good boy but he never really listened to us and could be very re active of other dogs and mailman etc! We loved his quirky personality but at 110lbs we needed him to listen to us and be relaxed in his surroundings.We were delighted to find Sparky, hes so great! He will come to your house and listen to your needs and discuss how he will manage your pup and also which we found so helpful give you training on how to continue the training when he returns home.After the training, Charlie is so much better behaved, he walks well on the leash, listens to commands and is still his quirky self. Would highly recommend Sparky for your dogs training needs
mckenna K.
Dec 5, 2025
From Google
Sparky has worked with our dog Nala for over a year now. He is great and has worked so hard with our dog. She is smart and knows all commands taught by him. Now he keeps her while we are out of town and trains her. Sparky and Nala have a great relationship and she responds well to training requests. We are thankful to have him as our dog trainer!
Isaiah H.
Sep 3, 2025
From Google
We dont know where to start! Sparky not only taught our boys but, also us. We came to him because our German Shepherd was extremely leash reactive, making walks stressful for both us and our dog. Sparky worked with patience, skill, and clear guidance to not only help our Shepherd improve but also give us the tools and confidence to handle situations calmly. The difference has been incredible walks are no longer something we dread, but something we enjoy again.On top of that, Sparky has been fantastic with our new puppy. From basic obedience to building good habits early on, his training approach is positive, practical, and tailored to each dogs personality. Both of our dogs absolutely love him, and weve seen huge improvements in behavior and confidence in a short amount of time.
Hillary G.
Jun 30, 2025
From Google
Hiring Sparky and Sound Canine to train our dog was one of the best decisions we could have made. When we rescued our most recent furry family member as a 3-month old, we had no idea how valuable this kind of training could be. Milo is an Akita/Shepherd/PitBull mix with boisterous energy, an extremely intelligent headstrong mind, and some nervousness thrown in for good measure. We wanted to start him (and us) off on the right foot, and brought Sparky in when Milo was around 7 months. He went to "sleep away camp" (board and train) and came home with wonderful new skills, manners, and a roadmap for becoming the goodest boy as he grows into adulthood. Yes, it is an investment. Yes, it is still work after they come home. But for Milo, this program was invaluable, and taught us plenty too. We continue to work with Sparky to reinforce the tools Milo was given in training, and how *we* can help him maintain and grow. Sparky is patient and easygoing, a wealth of knowledge in his field, extremely good with dogs, super friendly, and accommodating to our schedule throughout. I would not hesitate to do it again, and we plan on using Sparky's boarding service in the future. We simply cannot recommend Sparky enough for this service that is an investment in the future for you and your dog. Thanks again, Sparky!
Mattie O.
Jun 26, 2025
From Google
Your dog (and your household) deserves the best dog trainer you can find. My dog and I have an even stronger bond after individual sessions and the board & train weeks with Sparky, and I can tell Ellie is a huge fan of keeping up her skills and showing off everyday! You can tell Sparky is a master of his trade and a wealth of knowledge. This is training for life, and your dog will thank you. Worth every penny.
Credentials
Background Check
John Davis